Associating and folding mechanism



y 1933. A. M. ZUCKERMAN 1,907,169

ASSOCIATING AND FOLDING MECHANISM Filed March 25, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR QWL Ma /WM FlG.l.

May 2, 1933.

A. ZUCKERMAN ASSOCIATING AND FOLDING MECHANISM Filed March 25,

1932 6 SheetsShee.t 2

WZl/QMM May 2, 1933. A. M. ZUCKERMAN- ASSOCIATING AND FOLDING MECHANISM Filed March 25, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEN'I'OR May 2, 1933. A. M. ZUCKERMAN ASSOCIATING AND FOLDING MECHANISM Filed March 25, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 2, 1933. A. M. ZUCKERMAN ASSOCIATING AND FOLDING MECHANISM Filed March 25,- 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR W24 Patented May 2, 1933 Tam oFF cE ADOLPH M. ZUCKERMAN, or nnwyoan, N. Y., Assrenoa TO a; non & co. INC., on

new roan, H. Y., A ooaPoni-irron or new YORK ASSOCIATING AND FOLDING- IMECHANISFI Application filed March 25, 1932. Serial No. 601,025.

sheets, so that the completed magazines or the like may be provided with a cover and with these specially printed sheets inserted at various points throughout the magazines. Mechanisms heretofore used for adding a cover and inserts were capable of only a very narrow range in the positioning of the inserts with the printed products, and various desired combinations of press products and inserts could not be made. g

It is the especial object of the present invcntion to produce a mechanism which will have great flexibility in the various arrangements which can be made in the position of the specially'fed sheets or inserts throughout the product, so that such inserts can be associated with the press product in a large variety of combinations.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved folding and associating mechanism for accompanying this which will be of simple form and arrangement and in which the mechanisms can readily be arranged to produce the product desired within the capacity of the machine.

lVith these and other objects not specifi+ cally referred to in view, the invention consists in certain novel parts, arrangements and combinations which will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and the novel features pointed out'in the claims hereunto annexed.

In these drawings,

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the preferred arrangement for effecting the objects of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged end View of the lefthand side of the mechanism shown in Figure 1 and illustrating this mechanism more in detail;

Figure 3 is a side view of a delivery mechanism which may be employed, the view being taken in the direction of arrow 3 of Figure 1;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are end views, partly broken away, illustrating the various positions of the collecting and associating or collating mechanisms shown in Figures 1 and 2; p

Figures 7 to 12 show some of the products which may be produced by the mechanism illustrated in the preceding figures;

Figure 13 is an end elevation of an arrangement embodying a modified form of the invention, and

Figure 14 is anend view of the collecting and associating mechanism shown in Figure 13.

Generally speaking, the desired flexibility as to the arrangement of the inserts with the press products is effected by printing the press products on a plurality of webs and dividing these webs into groups by the use of suitable turner bars and web guides, each group consisting of a predetermined number of webs, providinga cutting and collecting mechanism for each group of webs, and an associating and collating mechanism common to the groups of the collecting mechanisms by which :the productsfrom each such groupmay be collated, the combined products then being trans? ferred to a folding and a delivery mechanism. With this arrangement, a large number of products may be produced with the inserts of special sheets arranged in a variety. of ways with the products from the press, and by increasing the number of webs used the variety of products can be correspondingly increased.

The number of webs, of course, may be varied within wide limits, depending upon the particular character of product that it is desired to. produce. In the particular machine selected to illustrate the invention, however, a press product is printed on two webs, which are handled as hereinafter described, and this mechanism is shown as employing four feeders by which the special sheets or inserts may be associated with the products derived from these Webs, the particular ar- ZZdf rangement shown being capacitatedto procylinders of which are arranged with four plates around and six plates wide with the column running around the cylinder. The webs from this press are slit into SIX webs,

marked W, W1, 2, W3, W4 and W5.

J These six webs are, as shown, divided into groups of three webs each. The webs 1V, W1 and 2 are led from suitable guide rolls 1 to and between a pair of nipping and for warding rolls 2, 3, from which the three associated webs are led between a pairof cutting cylinders 1 5, by which the webs are cut into the desired product lengths. From the cutting cylinders, the cut products are forwarded by rolls 6, 7, 8 and 9 in a pathway adjacent sheet feeding devices, indicated generally by the numerals 10, 11, by which specially printed sheets or inserts are associated with the products.

The products with the special sheet or sheets are then forwarded to a collecting cylinder 12 on which the products are collected. The particular type of collecting cylinder employed may, of course, be varied, but in the construction shown this cylinder is what is known as a three-part collecting cylinder, having three collecting surfaces a, Z), c, as shown in Figure 4, and three sets of double grippers of theusual long and short type, indicated generally by the numerals 13, '14 and 15, this cylinder being arranged to collect four products and deliver them at the rate of three collected products at every four revolutions. i

From the collecting cylinder 12, the products are delivered to an associating or collating cylinder 16, which is provided with long and short grippers, indicated generally by the numeral 17 Figure 4c. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a second set of mechanisms similar to that described, to which the webs 73, W4 and W5 are forwarded. As shown, these webs pass over suitable guide rolls 18 to and between a pair of nipping and forwarding rolls 19, 20, and to and between a pair of cutting cylinders 21, 22 by which these associated webs are out into product lengths.

Fromrthese cutting cylinders, the webs are forwarded by sets of forwarding rolls 23, 2 1, 25 and 26 down a pathway adjacent feeders indicated generally by the numerals 27, 28, which associate with the cut products special sheets, such as a cover or inserts. The products with inserts associated therewith then pass to a collecting cylinder 29,

similar to the cylinder 12, that is, this cylinder 29 is a three-part cylinder having three collecting surfaces (Z, c, f and provided witl three sets of long and short grippers 30, 31,

32, this collecting cylinder, like the cylinder 5 12, acting to collect four products and to deliver them at the rate of three collected products ever four revolutions.

From the collecting cylinder 29, the products are delivered to what may be termed, in the particular construction illustrated, a transfer cylinder 33 provided with a gripper mechanism 34, this transfer cylinder acting to transfer or deliver the collected product taken thereon by the grippers 34 to the grippers 17 on the collating or associating cylinder 16.

It will be understood that in the particular construction shown'the cylinder 16 is the associating cylinder and the cylinder 33 the transfer cylinder, this construction being adopted where the delivery'is to the left-hand side of the mechanism, as shown in Figure 1, but it will be understood that the functions of these cylinders may be reversed if it is desired to deliver to the right-hand side of Figure 1. The particular arrangement illustrated in Figure 1 is capacitated to produce the product shown in Figure 7, it being understood that the heavy lines therein indicate the special sheets or inserts, and the light lines the sheets printed by'the press and cut from the webs as described. The product shown in- Figure 7 is, as has been described, produced by forwarding three webs down on each side of the mechanism and associating an insert or a special sheet with the product produced at each operation of the cutting cylinders. With this arrangement, a prodnot is produced "having eight inserts arranged or positioned on'the outside and between each set of three sheets, except, however, on the way to the front and back, where there are six sheets between the inserts. By changing the grouping of the webs and adjusting the timing of the sheet feeding mechanism, a very large number of different arrangements of inserts with the press products may be produced. For instance, the product shown in Figure 8 is produced by grouping two webs, as the web W and Wl'on the left-hand side, and collecting on cylinder 12, and four webs 1V2, W3, W4 and W5 on the right-hand side and collecting on the cylinder 29, and associating this product with the product from cylinder 12 with an insert fed at every cutting operation of the two sets of cutting cylinders.

The products shown in Figure 9 may be produced by collecting the products from one web, as the web W on the cylinder 12, and by collecting the products from the other five webs on the cylinder 29 and associating these products on the cylinder 16, an insert being fed at every cutting operation of the cutting cylinders.

' ucts from the other web on cylinder 29 and associating these collected inder 16.

It will be seen that by silencing one or more of the feeding mechanisms or dividing the special cover or insert sheets other products may be obtained,and that by properly timing-the sheetfeeders two or more special sheets or inserts can be placed beside each other without any intervening sheets from the webs and that such arrangements are within the invention, and one such is shown in Figure 12.

It is believed that the operation of the mechanism is clear from the foregoing, but may be briefly recapitulated as follows, referring to Figures 4, and 6. In Figure d a product collected on the cylinder 12 on the left-hand side of the machine is shown as being taken off by grippers 17 of the associating cylinder 16, and a product collected on the cylinder 29 on the right-hand side of the machine is shown as being taken by products on cylthe grippers 34 of the transfer cylinder 33.

The product from the left-hand side of the machine is marked 00 and the product from the right-hand side of the machine is marked 3/ and, as shown in Figure 5, these products m and y are shown as being associated and collated by the grippers 17 of the associating cylinder 16. In Figure 6 the combined products 00 and y are shown as being forwarded to a delivery mechanism.

The products are delivered in any suit able or desirable way. In the particular construction shown, the associated products are forwarded horizontally to a folder of the chopper. blade type and are stapled or stitched on the run by stapling mechanism, indicated by the numeral 35 in Figure 1, and folded on the stapling line by a chop per blade folder of usual construction, indicated at 36 in Figure 3, the products being folded off between usual folding rolls 37, 38 and delivered to a fan or fly delivery 39.

' It will, however, be understood that any other desired type of delivery may be used and that this delivery may be on either side of the machine.

The parts of the mechanism are supported in framing 40, of any suitable character, and

.these webs pass may be driven in any desired manner, as from a driven shaft 411 through atrain of gears 42, 43, it to the associating cylinder 16, from which the rest of the mechanism is driven through suitable gear connections, not illustrated, asbeing unnecessary for an understanding of the invention.

The'feeding mechanism may be of any desired or usual type, such as that shown in detail in Figure 2, employingfeeding guides 15 and cooperating drop and feeding rollers 46, 17. In the preferred construction, however, the feeder will be adapted to feed a multiple sheet which is separated into single sheets, a cutting mechanism, indicated at 48, being employed for this purpose.

In Figure 13 is shown a modified form of the invention which is generally similar to the one described above, but omits the necessity of transfer cylinder by placing the collecting cylinders somewhat differently. The arrangement shows webs 6, W7 and W8 led between apair of nipping and forwarding rolls 49, 50, from which the three associated webs are led between a pair of cutting cylinders 51, 52, by which the webs are cut into the desired product lengths. F rointhe cutting'cylinders, the cut products are forwarded by rolls 53, 5-41, and 56 in a pathway adjacent sheet feeding de-' vices, indicated generally by the numerals 57, 58, by which specially printed sheets or inserts are associated with the products. The products with the special sheet or sheets are then forwarded to a collecting cylinder 59 on which'the products are collected. In the construction shown, this cylinder has three collecting surfaces g, h, c', as indicated in Figure 14, and three sets of double grippers of the usual long and short type, indicated generally by the numerals 60, 61 and 62, this cylinder being arranged to collect four products and deliver them at the rate of three collected products at every four revolutions.

In accordance with the in ention, there is provided a second set of mechanisms similar to that described, to which webs W9, VV10,"and W11 are forwarded. As shown, between a pair of nipping and forwarding rolls 63, 6 1 and to and between a pair of cutting cylinders 65, 66, by which these associated webs are cut into product lengths. From these cutting cylinders,the webs are forwarded by sets of forwarding rolls" 67, 68, 69 and 70 down a pathway adjacent feeders indicated generally by the numerals 71, 72, which associate with the cut products special sheets, such as a cover or inserts. The productswit-h the sheets associated therewith then pass to a collecting cylinder 73, similar to the cylinder 59, that is, this cylinder 73 has three collecting surfaces j, 70, Z, and is pro- 'vided with three sets of long and shortgrippers 74, 75', 76. This collecting cylinder, like the cylinder 59, collects four products and delivers them at the rate of three collected products every four revolutions.

From both collecting cylinders 59 and 7 3, the products are delivered to an associating cylinder 77, which is also provided with long and short grippers, indicated general- 1y by the numeral 7 8, Figure I l. From the cylinder 77, the associated products are delivered in any suitable way to a folding mechanism, as, for instance, the chopper blade mechanism shown in Figure 3.

While the invention has been shown and described in its preferred forms, it will be understood that other arrangements may be adopted as desired, depending upon the particular character of tie product which it is desired to produce, and that by increasing the number of webs a very large number of differentproducts may be produced, and it will also be understood that certain changes and variations may be made in the specific construction of the various mechanisms and that'the'invention therefore is not to be restricted to the arrangements and constructions shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a folding and associating mechanism, the combination of means for forwarding a plurality of webs, means for dividing the webs into groups of a predetermined web number arrangement, cutting mechanism for each group for severing product lengths from the webs, means for feeding special sheets to the products from each group, a collecting cylinder for each group, an associating cylinder cooperating with one of the collecting cylinders, a transfer cylinder cooperating with another collecting cylinder andtransferring the product therefrom to the associating cylinder for associating with products thereon, and means for folding the associated products.

2. In a folding and associating mechanism, the combination of web guides for forwarding a plurality of webs and dividing the webs into groups of a predetermined web number arrangement, cutting mechanism for each group for severing product lengths from the webs, means for feeding special sheets to the products, a collecting cylinder for each group, an associating cylinder cooperating with one of the collecting cylinders to take products therefrom, a transfer cylinder cooperating with another of the collecting cylinders to take products therefrom and transfer them to and associate them with the products on the associating cylinder, means for stitching or stapling the associated products, and means for folding the associated products.

3. In a folding and associating mechanism, the combination of means for forwarding a plurality of webs, means for dividing the Webs into groups of a predetermined web number arrangement, means for severing product lengths from the webs, means for feeding special sheets to the products from each group, a collecting mechanism for each web group, means for associating the products from all the collecting mechanisms, and means for folding the associated products.

4:. In a folding and associating mechanism, the combination of means for forwarding a plurality of webs, means for dividing the webs into groups of a predetermined web number arrangement, means for severing product lengths from the webs, means for feeding special sheets to the products from each group, a collecting mechanism for each web group, an associating mechanism common to the collecting mechanisms by which the products from all the collecting mechanisms may be associated, and means for folding the associated products.

5. In a folding and associatinglmechanism, the combination of means for forwarding aplurality of webs associated in groups each of a predetermined web number arrangement, means for severing product lengths from the webs, means for feeding special sheets to a product of each group formed at each operation of the cutting mechanism, means for collecting'a number of products and special sheets from each group, and means for associating the collected products.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ADOLPH M. ZUCKERMAN. 

